Dr. Samuel Betances is a Senior Diversity Consultant. He is an outstanding motivational speaker and workshop facilitator. He works to inspire willing learners to excel. Dr. Betances is both entertaining and informative. His story from dropping out of school, growing up in violence and on welfare, to earning two graduate degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education is compelling. He also did post-doctoral work at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Urban Social Institutions.
He is passionate about social justice and increasing the cultural competencies of mission-driven teams for educating urban students from poverty to study and to graduate. He is a product of reading and promotes reading to excel, wherever he goes. His book Ten Steps to the Head of the Class: A Challenge for Students is in its fourth printing and a new version, Ten Steps to the Head of the Class: A Handbook for Middle School Students was just released. His book Winning the Future through Education: One Step at a Time is receiving excellent reviews from high school educators, principals, students, and parents. Higher education specialists of first generation students are especially glad for the book. The book serves as a roadmap on how to excel by turning bad study habits into good ones.
“Dr. B,” as his students liked to call him, taught Sociology at the former Chicago Teachers College (now, Northeastern Illinois University) for 25 years. He has worked, and conducted workshops for educators in over 956 school systems throughout the USA. Samuel Betances is also a very sought-after diversity consultant and commencement speaker. He delivers standing ovation, quality heritage event keynotes during Hispanic or Black History Month events. He is an effective workshop facilitator.
He is a teacher’s teacher. His workshops on how to plan and implement successful strategies for ensuring the success of all students are recognized as vital and presented in a way that do not cause injury across identity lines. He teaches the tough topics in ways that create inclusion and networking, rather than conflict that tend to poison relationships. He continues to be an important faculty member of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Summer Academy for Senior Urban Educators.
Dr. B is a bilingual, biracial, bicultural professional who is passionate about assisting educators, parents, communities and leaders to make it possible for students to study and graduate. He conducts workshops in both English and Spanish. His work experience includes all U.S. states and territories and many countries including Japan, Korea, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Mexico, Canada, Germany and England.
